In a recent conversation, S. Somasegar, Managing Director at Madrona, sat down with Vijaye Raji, the founder and CEO of Statsig, to discuss the journey from big tech to becoming a founder, the importance of data-driven decision-making, and the role of AI in the decision-making process.
Raji’s experience as a former Microsoft and Facebook employee provided him with firsthand exposure to the powerful tools used within these tech giants. This inspired him to create Statsig, an experimentation platform and automated AB testing tool that enables companies to make product decisions based on data.
The conversation between Somasegar and Raji begins with a trip down memory lane, recalling their days at Microsoft and the development of Small Basic, a tool designed to simplify programming for the next generation of developers. Throughout Raji’s career, his focus has consistently been on empowering developers and making their jobs easier and more agile.
Raji’s journey from Microsoft to Meta and finally to Statsig has shaped his perspective on the importance of productive tools for developers. While at Facebook, he witnessed the impact of tools that facilitated fast and precise product development. This experience ultimately led to Raji’s decision to start Statsig in 2021, with the goal of bringing these powerful tools to developers outside of Facebook.
Statsig is an example of what Somasegar refers to as an “intelligent application enabler.” The platform allows product teams to experiment with different features and create exceptional user experiences. By leveraging data and implementing AI and machine learning, Statsig helps companies build continuous learning systems that deliver better services to their customers.
Raji traces the origin of Statsig back to the traditional waterfall model of software development, which was heavily influenced by hardware development processes. Raji and his team recognized the need for a more dynamic and data-driven approach to product decision-making, leading them to create Statsig.
As the conversation continues, Somasegar and Raji delve into topics such as identifying the ideal customer profile and the challenges of selling a product. Raji shares his personal experience and the lessons he has learned along the way.
Overall, the conversation highlights the importance of data-driven decision-making in product development and the role of tools like Statsig in enabling companies to make informed choices. With its focus on experimentation and automation, Statsig equips product teams with the tools they need to ship the right products faster.
Sources:
– Conversation between S. Somasegar and Vijaye Raji
– Statsig: https://www.statsig.com
